Republic Tournament Top Underclassmen Guards/Wings
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Prep Hoops Missouri takes a look at the top underclassmen guards and wings that we saw during our time spent at the Republic Tournament last week in the SWMO area. The players that were featured in our “Starting Five” story…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops Missouri takes a look at the top underclassmen guards and wings that we saw during our time spent at the Republic Tournament last week in the SWMO area. The players that were featured in our “Starting Five” story from the tournament are not included in this story.
Brenley Hagewood Brenley Hagewood 6'0" | PG Republic | 2025 State MO (Republic): I watched this 6’0″ 2025 guard on the stream many times, so it was nice to finally see him work in person. He is an excellent athlete who displayed the ability to score at all three levels. If he gets to his spots in the mid-range, he was going to elevate over any defender at any size. He can also use his physical strength to post up and get a bucket inside. He shoots the 3-pointer well enough to keep defenses honest.
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Kale Mortimer Kale Mortimer 5'11" | PG Liberty | 2025 MO (Liberty): A 5’9″ 2025 point guard who scored 18 points in the game I watched against Rolla. He really has a nice burst off the dribble as he could lull defenders to sleep, then he would explode with an explosive first step to get to the basket. He was very good at finding the seams in the zone defense to create problems. He stays low on the dribble and he keeps on coming at the defense.
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Tanner Hicks (Hillcrest): A 6’0″ guard who scored a game-high 25 points in the game that I watched against eventual tourney champion Springdale (AR). Much of his action was off the dribble as he constantly got into the lane and scored at a variety of angles. He was constantly changing speeds and directions to keep defenders off balance. He could also hit a mid-range jumper and an open 3-pointer off the catch.
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John Papadakos (Rolla): A 6’0″ 2025 guard who does a great job as an Swiss-Army Knife type of player. He has an excellent feel for the game. He’s a very good secondary ball handler who can deliver the pass, plus he can make open perimeter shots when they become available to him. He is a solid defensive player who keeps himself in the right position to make plays.
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Jenson Thomas (Rolla): A 6’1″ 2026 guard who provided some instant offense off the bench. He scored 12 points in the game that I watched against Liberty. He showcased a nice smooth release from long distance as he knocked down a pair of Corner 3-pointers. He is a good ball handler who plays within himself. He doesn’t try to force things. He is a part of a talented group of 2026 players at Rolla.
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Rylee Tan (Republic): A 5’10” 2026 point guard who has good quickness and is very fearless on the drive. He took some big shots when he went into the lane, but he dusted himself off, hit the free throws and attacked the lane again. The young lefty is also very shifty as he can keep defenders off balance. His step-back jumper was also effective as he can create the space to get off a clean look.
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Jarvis Palmer (Springdale, AR): A 6’1″ point guard who helped the Bulldogs to the tournament championship. He is a good on-ball defender who was providing constant pressure against opposing ball handlers. He has a nice pull up jumper off the dribble and he was hitting the open Corner 3-pointer.